Looking at all the schedules and comparing the opponents there seems to be a definite difference in the competitive level in the schedules.
And finally, Texas Tech: https://texastech.com/news/2021/3/2/womens-soccer-stone-releases-spring-schedule.aspx Kansas State has made some tweaks to their schedule: https://www.kstatesports.com/news/2021/3/1/k-state-soccer-adjusts-spring-schedule.aspx
Disappointing to see that the Baylor vs Texas A & M match was canceled. That would have been interesting to watch. Also, noticed that Oklahoma is continuing its embarrassing season with yet another loss starting spring season. At what point does the AD decide this was a big mistake and move Carr on to his next marketing job to save the university's reputation.
Baylor's entire athletic department has mismanaged COVID all year, not surprised it's biting them again. As for OU, that's not Joe Castiglione's style. Unless he absolutely has to, he doesn't fire his coaches. He may encourage them to resign or not renew their contracts if he makes a change, but almost all of them at least get their contract tenure unless they quit.
I’m not even sure castiglione’s even knows they have a soccer program. He will at least survive his contract.
Texas beat Texas State 4-0. Newest addition graduated early to join Texas and scored a goal with two assists in her first game. box score; https://texassports.com/sports/womens-soccer/stats/2020/texas-state/boxscore/14153
UNT outshot nationally ranked Tx A&M 22 to 5 and lost 0-1 on a PK. They're no slouch, and it's no shame on OU to lose to them. I suspect OSU and Tech will have their hands full with them later this spring. And I don't get the harping on Carr. It's year 1, and he's probably a goal scorer away from having a very competitive program. Having watched the UT vs Tx State game, AM was simply brilliant. Will be interesting to see if she shows that well against stronger competition, but she morphed UT into a Stanfordesque fluency on offense. I'm sorry, but all the talk about AK being on hotseat sounds pure silly to me. Folks must be underestimating her latest recruiting haul. Nothing like it has ever been seen in the big 12.
It seems like Carr has more serious issues that you are referencing. He took a team that went 8-9-3 last year to a 0-9-1 record this year. He can't blame it on the team because he brought in his own recruits that have played the majority of the games and they look like an unorganized mess on the field. Like the poster said above, they were outshot 17-4 in the UNT game. Comparing this to his record with US Soccer and his previous NCAA record - it all seems to be the same pattern. If the AD is as others have said, not inclined to make quick changes, then it looks like OU is destined to the bottom of the Big 12 for quite a while. Iowa St coach was new also and he seems to have energized his team and making positive strides with that program. It will be interesting to see what happens there. They had good ball movement in their games and a good attack.
"probably a goal scorer away from having a very competitive program." Most, if not all coaches would say this. All goals are not equal. You have to find a reliable method of creating enough chances at the level you aspire to play at to be competitive. For the level OU are aspiring to get to by hiring him, he is not delivering that.
And, he has never delivered anywhere, so why would anyone expect him to deliver here after this horrendous start to his tenure?
OU graduated Dao who was the vast majority of their offense in 2019. They lost a ton of 1 goal games this year with a very young roster. I'm no OU insider, but they don't look any more or less organized than they were under Potter from what I can tell...no Dao, no goals. And I get it - folks feel Carr didn't deserve the job. But seems like we're piling on and wishing failure on the program vs just letting it play out.
I could care less if he sinks or swims with that program. I was just stating the obvious - that there is no reason for optimism with him at the helm.
Last year OU also had a bunch of close games, many into overtime. Although losing Dao was a big hit there were other players that contributed to goals last year that are still on the roster. You have to look beyond the goals of the game and look more at some of the other stats. If you have a high level of fouls and have little to no shots on goal it doesn't look like things will pan out with time unless something changes. Texas seems to have a very strong recruiting class that is already showing up so the competition in the Big 12 just got stronger, not weaker. There are 4 Big 12 teams with a recruiting class in the top 20 so this conference will be tough.
Oklahoma State's keeper got a red in the 13th minute today at North Texas. Cowgirls won anyway, 4-3 in 2OT.
Noticed the box score shows North Texas out shot OSU 20-12! Schedule has North Texas played a conference match Friday night...Big12 teams can only play one game a week this spring. Huge advantage for the Cowgirls today on rest, outside of the red card!
For those that don’t know North Texas is good. Not surprised at all they are giving big 12 teams trouble. If they were in the Big 12 i think they would contend for the big 12 title pretty quickly
They should include them, or replace the losing college team. Kind of like promotion/relegation system.
Baylor vs. LSU tonight on ESPN+ at 7pm. Bears ready for first match since overtime win over Oklahoma on Nov. 6. https://baylorbears.com/news/2021/3/17/soccer-soc-resumes-2020-season-vs-lsu.aspx
Texas Tech/North Texas won't be rescheduled as North Texas is focusing on their conference race. Tech added a game with Division II West Texas A&M to replace it. As for Notre Dame/Kansas, not a good sign that the postponement is due to COVID issues with the Irish. ND is also supposed to visit Oklahoma State and TCU. It's really not good for Kansas, which has also lost its game with Arkansas to COVID issues there. It's not going to do much for KU's resume-building attempts for the tournament to only play Kansas State, Missouri, and Iowa State this spring.
Looks like WVU is having a great spring taking on ACC. Are they single handedly salvaging the big 12 rpi? Mountaineers and TCU might be the only 2 getting to the dance this year. Which would be a shame because I think Texas could make a run.
Chris Henderson has consistently had Oklahoma State in his projections as well, and other than a bad day last week against TCU, the Cowgirls haven't shown any reason to keep them out. Texas now, with their new freshmen, is much different than Texas in the fall was. But they were the fifth-best team in league play and ended up sixth, and sixth in the Big 12 is always going to have a rough time getting in, even in a normal year.